New island rules: IPZ 2019

New island rules: IPZ 2019

⏩The union ministry of Environment,Forest and climate change has notified Island Protection Zone 2019 for Andaman and Nicobar.

⏩Changes in the IPZ are aligned with the NITI Ayog's proposal for holistic development in the islands .

⏩The government's planning to open up the blue economy and sustainable harnessing of ocean resources.

IPZ 2019:

• It allows eco-tourism projects 20 meters from the high tide line in smaller islands like baratang, Havelock and Car Nicobar.
• In case of larger islands, 50 meters from the HTL is permitted.
• It allows for eco- tourism activities like mangrove walks, tree huts and nature trails in island coastal regulation zone(ICRZ)IA. (ICRZ 2018: ICRZ IA, Provides areas classified as the most eco-sensitive region of the islands which includes turtle nesting grounds, marshes, coral reefs etc)
• The notification also allows for construction of roads,roads on stilts by reclaiming land in exceptional cases for defense installations, public utilities or strategic purposes in eco sensitive zones.
• In case construction of such roads pass through mangroves, a minimum three times the mangrove areas destroyed during the construction process shall be taken up for compensatory plantation of mangroves elsewhere.

Concerns over IPZ 2019:

• It brings the norms for Andaman and Nicobar at par with Coastal Regulation Zone 2018 norms for other islands close to the mainland and backwater islands where a no development zone(NDZ) is only 20 meters from HTL.
• Previously, IPZ 2011 stipulated an NDZ of 200 meters from the HTL for all islands.
• Only pipelines.transmission lines, trans harbor links to be laid in the eco sensitive zone were permitted. Now road construction is allowed.

High Tide Line:

• HTL is defined as line up to which highest high tide reaches in spring tides.
• It is delineated by walking over or remote sensing data or by helicopter survey.

Low Tide Line:

• LTL is the limit up to which the lowest low tide recedes during spring tide.